In 1910, Harry P. and Alice Yoe Ijams bought some land for their family in South Knoxville. Ninety-two years later, that property is Knoxville’s premier nature center.
The 80 acre park, nestled on one side by the Tennessee River, provides a relaxing getaway close to downtown Knoxville.
“We have a diverse number of programs … most of the things are really low-cost, and obviously, that’s a consideration of students,” Paul James, the development director at Ijams, said. “We offer unique recreation.”
The Visitor Center boasts a small museum designed to educate the public about Tennessee’s wildlife, but the most interesting aspect of the Ijams property are the numerous trails, more than six miles of “dirt and mulch.”
These paths twist and turn until, suddenly, the Visitor Center is out-of-sight and the sound of traffic disappears. An occasional outboard engine, a fisherman on the Tennessee River, are the only interruptions from the serene landscape. Birds can be heard singing, and a panoramic view of the river awaits the hikers.
Ijams also offers guided tours and workshops to visitors.
“We have night walks, bird walks, a fly-casting clinic (and) canoe trips,” James said.
To find out when these are offered, visit their Web site.
Since its founding in 1976, Ijams has worked to provide the community with “unique recreation,” and the biggest events are the Symphony in the Park, Music in the Park and the Adventure Challenge.
The Symphony in the Park is in its 17th year, and in the past, it has helped raise over $30,000 for the park. This event is usually held in September, with tickets going for $75 each.
Music in the Park, on the other hand, is more of a scaled-down event, designed for a different audience.
“It’s really a low-cost event (designed) to attract as many people as we can,” James said. “We get a cross-section of the community – students, older people, people with kids and people with dogs.”
From April to August, the concert occurs on the third Saturday evening of each month, and each time there is a different theme, ranging from rock and roll to bluegrass. This month’s concert, on April 20th, will feature a reggae theme. Tickets are $5.
The Adventure Challenge is a triathlon that takes place on October 13th and consists of a 2-mile canoe race, a 10-mile bike and a 5-kilometer (3.1 mile) run. 150 people competed last year, “which is really respectable for the first year … it was great to see a hundred-odd boats on the river,” James said.
James explains that the event “showcases Knoxville and introduces people to South Knoxville and the Island Home area.”
Aside from providing students and the general public with recreation, Ijams also participates in a variety of conservation programs – most notably, River Rescue and the Mead’s Quarry Project.
River Rescue is an annual event that been going on for 13 years.
“We coordinate, basically, a cleanup of the Tennessee River and Loudon Lake – 35 sites, ranging from Ijams Nature Center and Island Home Park in the south to Marine Park along Alcoa Highway … and all the way up to the north city,” James said.
“(Mead’s Quarry is) a 50-acre property that was purchased by Knox County in the spring of 2001. It’s a really neat property – it’s beautiful,” James added. Dedicated volunteers lead clean-ups every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Last year, volunteers contributed more than 3,000 hours of service in various conservation projects.
